In 1970, Marian McQuade initiated a campaign to establish a day to honor grandparents. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a federal proclamation, declaring the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. To honor our nation’s grandparents, the U.S. Census Bureau presents statistics about their role in American society as caregivers of their grandchildren.

The number of grandparents responsible for the basic needs of one or more grandchild under age 18 living with them in 2015. Of these caregivers, 1.6 million were grandmothers and 1.0 million were grandfathers

The number of grandparents responsible for grandchildren under age 18 whose income was below the poverty level in the past 12 months, compared with the 2.1 million grandparent caregivers whose income was at or above the poverty level.

The median income for families with grandparent householders responsible for grandchildren under age 18. Among these families, where a parent of the grandchildren was not present, the median income was $37,580.

The number of married (including separated) grandparents responsible for caring for their grandchildren.

The number of grandparents in the labor force responsible for their own grandchildren under age 18. Among them, 368,348 were 60 years or older.

The number of grandparents who had a disability and were responsible for their grandchildren.

The number of foreign-born grandparents responsible for their own grandchildren under age 18. This contrasts with 2.1 million native-born grandparent caregivers.

The number of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren who spoke only English. Another 252,314 spoke another language, but spoke English “very well;” 362,390 spoke another language and spoke English less than “very well.”

The percentage of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders who lived with grandchildren in 2015. This is followed by American Indian and Alaska Natives and those of Some Other Race, which were not statistically different from each other at 7.3 and 7.4 percent, respectively, Hispanics at 6.9 percent, Asians at 6.1 percent and African-Americans at 5.6 percent. Non-Hispanic Whites are the group least likely to have grandparents living under the same roof as their grandchildren at 2.5 percent.

The number of children under age 18 living with a grandparent householder in 2015. Nearly half or 2.6 million were under age 6.

The number of children in 2015 who were living with both of their grandparents, regardless of whether they were also living with their parents.